Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the re-accreditation of the pharmacy departments in state hospitals by the Kwara State Hospitals Management Board (KW-HMB).
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Abdulraheem Malik, made the announcement in a statement on Sunday in Ilorin.
He said that seven pharmacy departments in state hospitals have secured accreditation from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Malik explained that the departments would now serve as internship training centres for graduate pharmacists.
He emphasised that the accreditation process was long and meticulous, with the PCN sending an inspection team to Kwara to assess the proposed facilities.
“Kwara can now resume the training of intern pharmacists from all pharmacy schools in Nigeria, a programme that was lost two decades ago,” he said.
The Executive Secretary assured that due diligence was applied throughout the accreditation process, ensuring that all facilities met specific preconditions before receiving approval.
He noted that this achievement marked a significant boost for the state’s health sector under the current administration and would help address manpower gaps in healthcare.
He also assured the people of Kwara that the board was committed to overseeing and monitoring all accredited facilities to ensure sustained improvements in healthcare delivery.
Malik further revealed that efforts were underway to secure accreditation for the training of intern nurses and medical laboratory scientists.
Some of the accredited facilities include General Hospital Patigi, General Hospital Offa, Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), and the Civil Service Hospital in Ilorin.
Other accredited facilities are Aisha Buhari Mother and Child Hospital, Sobi Specialist Hospital, Children’s Specialist Hospital and the Kwara State Essential Drugs Project.
NAN